Noise Gate Switch
Press this button to activate an onboard and suppress excess noise in Crunch I, Crunch II and Lead chan-
nels. Control the Noise Gate using the Level Threshold knob on the back of the amp. The LED above the
button lights up to indicate the Noise Gate is activated. Note that the Noise Gate does not operate during
the Clean channel is selected. This feature can also be switched via MIDI program change MIDI Controller
#24, or the ENGL Z9.
IMPORTANT NOTE, PLEASE READ AND HEED:
The Noise Gate may open up inadvertently when it is activa-
ted, a high-gain channel is selected, and the volume exceeds the Threshold knob setting. At very high volume
and gain settings, this may generate instant feedback, particularly if your guitar is facing the speakers.
Rather than musical and controlled, this is the shrill, unpleasant and potentially harmful variety of feedback
squealing that sends your audience and fellow musicians packing. Though the amp is not more susceptible
to feedback when the Noise Gate is activated, the fact that it suppresses extraneous noise means you can‘t
hear those telltale signs that feedback is swelling and consequently can‘t take measures to suppress it. For
this reason, make an extra effort to be careful when the Noise Gate is activated: Before you approach the
amp and speaker cabinet with your guitar in hand, turn the guitar‘s volume knob to the far left position (to 0
so that no signal is audible) to prevent the pickups and speakers from interacting! Noise is a definite no-no
in many situations. For example, studio etiquette demands that you keep a lid on extraneous noise during
short breaks. It‘s in the nature of highgain rigs to generate undesirable peripheral noise in overdriven
channels. This is attributable to the physical properties of an amp‘s constituent components, in particular
its active components. That‘s right; those cherished tubes are the culprits.
The Noise Gate is a tool that lets you silence this noise during breaks by way of signal mute circuit. Note that
electric guitars pick up interference signals, and these are amplified tremendously at high gain levels in Hi
Gain mode. The most common source of noise is 50 or 60 hertz mains hum, particularly when the guitar is
positioned near transformers and power units. Because in worst-case scenarios this humming can attain
extremely high levels, the Noise Gate can hardly distinguish between the musical signal and noise. This
makes it hard to find the right Threshold setting. It is entirely possible for this humming and other noise to
rise to a level that deactivates the Noise Gate and therefore becomes audible. My advice is to stay as far
away from transformers and power units as space allows.
A Few Comments On The Noise Gate:
The advantage of a Noise Gate that is installed in and matched to the amp is that it lets you fine-tune its
threshold with extreme precision, thereby separating the useful, musical signal from useless background
noise. Indeed, this was designed to address the signal the most beneficial spot in the signal chain - the
preamp - to make it more effective. First and foremost, it is designed to suppress ambient noise such
as hissing and humming during breaks when the Preamp is in Hi Gain mode. For this reason, I tuned its
threshold (that‘s the level at which the gate triggers) range to suit this amp mode, and then adjusted it for
Lo Gain configurations.
To get acquainted with how the Noise Gate works, I suggest you start by setting the Threshold knob to the
far left (Noise Gate opens at low signal levels) and slowly twist it clockwise to gradually raise the gate‘s
trigger threshold. When the knob arrives at the far right position, the Noise Gate will not trigger until the
signal reaches a very high level. This means that the preamp must amplify the guitar signal considerably to
open up (or deactivate) the Noise Gate. In practice, your best bet for suppressing loud noise when running
